Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Chicago are working on innovative methods to create a more sustainable future by promoting a circular economy. This approach involves designing products with their end-of-life in mind, transforming potential waste into valuable resources.

Max Delferro, a chemist at Argonne and the UChicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, is leading efforts to recycle plastic waste using catalysts that convert plastics into higher-value products like lubricants and waxes. "Plastic contains a lot of energy. It’s like pre-purified crude oil, and it’s already out of the ground," Delferro explained.

The research extends beyond plastics. Meltem Urgun Demirtas from Argonne's Sustainable Materials and Processes department is exploring ways to recover resources from food waste and sludge using microorganisms. "My motivation is to clean up the world," said Urgun Demirtas.

Junhong Chen, lead water strategist at Argonne, is developing technologies for water treatment and resource recovery as part of Great Lakes ReNEW. “Water is not just vital for sustaining our lives; it’s also needed for manufacturing products in virtually every industry,” Chen noted.

Efforts also focus on recycling batteries and microelectronics efficiently. Jeffrey Spangenberger from Argonne's Materials Recycling Research and Development group highlighted the need for cost-effective technologies: “A lot of this waste is all chewed up or meshed together."

Di-Jia Liu, an Argonne chemist, aims to capture CO2 emissions for use in producing fuels and chemicals like ethanol and acetic acid. Liu's team is working on making CO2 conversion processes more efficient through improved catalysts.

These initiatives are supported by funding from organizations including the National Science Foundation and various offices within the Department of Energy.